Philadelphia: Growing teachers from within
How the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers and the School District of Philadelphia built a debt-free path from paraprofessional to teacher.
The challenge
Philadelphia couldn’t fill teaching roles. Pennsylvania’s newly issued in-state teaching certificates dropped 66% over a decade. Meanwhile, thousands of paraprofessionals already worked in district classrooms. Many wanted to teach, but traditional programs required:
- Student loans
- Class schedules built for full-time students
- One route, regardless of experience
The shift
PFT used its 2021 contract negotiations to create a paraprofessional-to-teacher pathway. A joint committee of three union and three district members designed the program around four decisions:
- A route for every starting point: entry from a GED through a master’s degree
- Debt-free by design: the district covers tuition, and participants take out no loans
- Rigor with support: wraparound supports without lower standards
- Shared risk: universities repay the district when participants don’t finish
The results
- 158 participants have completed the program, as of May 2026
- 112 graduates now teach in district classrooms
- $0 in student loans for participants
What you’ll learn
- How collective bargaining turned a member request into a lasting program
- Why joint governance kept the program adapting over five years
- How repayment agreements hold university partners accountable
- Which barriers besides tuition pushed participants out
- Five lessons for building a teacher pipeline in your district
Is your next teacher already in your building?
Philadelphia stopped searching nationally and started growing teachers from its own staff. Download the case study to see how district leaders, unions, and university partners can build a debt-free teacher pipeline.